Day 5, Friday, February 17. 2017:
Since I was off today my day was a bit different.
I did go to the gym early and did my mindful walking in the pool for 20 minutes. No one was there, so it was really quiet. The water is so soothing.
I also enjoyed the afternoon sun, reading and once in a while just sitting and breathing, and taking in the beautiful February spring day, around 60 minutes.
Afterwards I decided not only to bring my mind to stillness but in order to get a mental stillness I think it will help to declutter my house. So I started my spring cleaning spree today. I threw out alot, things which were layng around for years. It feels so good. I think I spent 150 minutes cleaning, and I was mindful, breathing and really enjoying the task. I am really grateful that this course is during spring so I hope to declurtter and clean up my "outer house" in orer to find stillness and mindfulness in myself.
Total time spent mindful: 100 minutes
Resources:
https://zenhabits.net/mindful-simplicity/
http://www.mindful.org/5-ways-to-declutter-your-home-and-mind/
http://www.mindful.org/five-ways-to-declutter-your-body-and-mind/
Day 4, Thursday, February 16. 2017:
I am settling into my daily morning routine: 20 minutes of savoring breakfast, listening to music with deep breaths and journaling for the day.
During the day I took again mindful breathing moments, whenever I am transitioning from one part of my day to the next (lunch break, end of the day, arriving home as well as throughout the day).
I am following the diaphragmatic breathing technique, rather breathing from my lower chest and stomach area than from the upper chest with a circular breath, a long deep breath which I hold for three seconds, and then I count to five on every out-breath.
After dinner I actually played domino with my husband and since he is one of these people who always think forever (drives me crazy since I am a "quick-quick" person). But instead of getting irritated I tried breathing and smiling - it worked. What a mindful relaxing game of domino we had.
Resources:
http://www.glennharrold.com/blog/forum/topic/a-brief-guide-on-how-to-use-self-hypnosis/
Total time spent mindful: 60 minutes
Day 3, Wednesday, February 15. 2017:
I started my day like the last two
days: No TV but rather relaxing music while savoring my breakfast.
I think establishing a daily
morning routine will help me prepare for the day in a relaxed fashion. I am
also hoping that this will support me with learning how to be still. In the article developing-a-daily-practice
it is suggested to meditate regularly, at the same time and spot. It might
sound difficult, but actually 5 minutes is all it will take. This article also
reinforced that it is okay if my mind wanders, what is one of my main goals, to
learn to be still for longer.
Since I also have a watch with a “breath” function,
I incorporated 2 minutes deep breathing session throughout my day, before I eating
my lunch, during my evening break at work and after arriving at home. It feels
like I am preparing myself and my brain that I am starting a new part of my
day.
I also found that focusing on my
breathing throughout the day helps me to be more aware and alert. I am focusing
on my breathing while driving, walking or in bed if I have trouble sleeping.
I also did some adult coloring
yesterday and I am wondering if that would be considered mindfulness. After
doing some research I found out, that it does. I was also pleased to learn that, if silent
meditation does not work for you, the coloring is helping to calm your inner
self while not being completely still.
PICTURE
Total time spent mindful: 90 minutes
Day 2, Tuesday, February 14. 2017:
I started my day again with no TV on but rather calming music. After savoring my breakfast again, I took 10 minutes to read in the Awaken book for the day and write down the suggestion (accept your ying and yang, your creative and logistic side).
On my drive to work I actually stopped and watched eight deer running in the sunrise, very calming and beautiful.
During my lunch I always have an eight grader coming into my classroom who does not like the noise in the cafeteria and who also wants to stay out of fights. Reflecting on his choice, it is kind of a mindful decision for him, to prefer eating in a quiet environment.
My afternoon was busy but I was rewarded with meditative yoga from 5.15 - 6.30 pm. Since it is meditative we also talked about transforming the spirit as well as practiced stillness.
I really need to work on getting my body and my mind still. The most important thing is to allow myself to wander off as long as I try to return to stillness, instead of getting upset and frustrated with myself. One way I try to do so is to pay attention to my breathing, deep breath in and out.
After dinner and a mindful dish washing episode, I reflected on my day writing in my diary.
I think I spent around 115 minutes actively with mindfulness today, with short mindful episodes I try to incorporate while for example walking from the parking lot to my classroom. I just stop and watch the clouds, listen to the birds or look for signs of spring.
Total time spent mindful: 115 minutes
Day 1, Monday, February 13, 2017:
I had a restful, meditative sleep after I listened to Glenn Harrold "mindfulness".
Well, not really, my mind is very restless, I planned on what I wanted to write here. So I listened twice to "deep sleep" music and it finally did the trick, my mind went into mindfulness.
Instead of having the TV on this morning, I turned it off and turned on meditative music (thanks to amazon's Alexa who played a channel).
I also tried to savor my breakfast, eggs and zucchini instead of, as I usually do, read my Facebook posts.
While driving to work, a beautiful sunset, I tried mindful breathing a couple of times (I am driving 45 minutes).
I also tried the calming music for my students, well you hear mixed comments from them - I am teaching middle school.
During my lunch break I went out for a 15 minutes walk. I try to do that normally, but since it was so cold, the students stayed in and I could really focus on the walking, sound, cold, wind and how I felt.
Finally coming home, I mindful washed the dishes, felt the water, smelt the soap.
My evening was very "unmindfulness".
Active time spent on mindfulness today: around 80 minutes
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